Black River Juice

We’re gearing up for hosting this holiday season- and as much as we love indulging in holiday décor and adding a festive touch to every corner of our home, it’s always fun to experiment in the kitchen with cocktails and new food recipes for family and friends to try!

So, this week we wanted to give you a little background story on Black River Juice, a Canadian owned and operated business that has humble beginnings in the cherry orchards of Prince Edward County, Ontario.

How did it all begin? Founders Keith Wallace and Grant Keane started Black River Juices with the goal of helping farmers sell their fruit leftovers. After great success with this idea, they quickly realized that the supply for the fruit and juices could not meet the demand- so they began to make the juice themselves.

Their mission was clear, to provide no sugar added, preservative-free, natural juices and juice blends made from real, local fruit. Named after the Black River in Prince Edward County which runs alongside the orchards from which the fruit came we love that we can enjoy fruits from our Ontario soil- year-round!

Not to mention the containers that they come in are beautiful glass jars styled to resemble old milk bottles – which can easily be recycled or reused as spice containers, flower vases or in Christmas mantle displays! Check out their Instagram for some fun ideas: http://home/primitiv/www.annasflowers.ca.instagram.com/blackriverjuice/

We did a little research of our own and found some fun Holiday Cocktails that are ideal for any Fall or Winter gathering:

Sparkling Pear & Orange Champagne Punch

• 1 (750 mL) bottle of chilled Sparkling wine
• 3 cups chilled Black River: Bartlett Pear Nectar
• 2 tbsp. orange bitters
• Strips of orange zest and frozen cranberries for serving

Mix all ingredients in a pitcher or punch bowl and serve over ice.

Cranberry Apple Cider Sangria

• 1 (750 mL) bottle of red wine
• 3 cups apple cider (Delhaven’s available at Anna’s)
• 1 cup of Black River Cranberry juice
• ½ cup Triple Sec or Orange liqueur
• ½ cup of honey (Sun Parlour available at Anna’s)
• 1 cup fresh/frozen cranberries
• 1 cup freshly diced apple cubes (Apples available at Anna’s)
• Sparkling water – top off
• Cinnamon sticks for garnish

Mix all ingredients in a pitcher and serve over ice.

Do you have any favourite go-to holiday cocktails or mocktails of your own? Comment below- we would LOVE to hear from you!  

Flavours that Anna’s Garden, Home & Wellness carries:

• Pure orange juice (300 mL)
  • Sweet and tangy all at once, this pure orange juice is the pop of vitamin C that you need to start your day right.
  • Ingredients: water, concentrated orange juice.
  • Fruit Origin: Brazil

• Bartlett pear nectar (300 mL & 1L)
  • Made from pure pressed Bartlett pears, it literally tastes like you’re biting into a ripe juicy pear!
  • Ingredients: pure pressed bartlett pear juice, vitamin C.
  • Local Fruit Origin: Niagara, Ontario

• Apple cranberry (300 mL)
  • A lovely blend of pressed cranberry juice and a concentrated apple juice to balance the tartness.
  • Ingredients: water, pure pressed cranberry juice, concentrated apple juice, vitamin C.
  • Local Fruit Origin: Muskoka, Ontario

• Apple + mango (300 mL)
  • For this juice they’ve created a custom blend using Alphonso and Totapuri mango purées; one is slightly sweeter, one is tangy, perfectly complimenting each other. This juice is naturally very sweet, but all sweetness comes from the fruit, no sugar is added.
  • Ingredients: water, mango purée, concentrated apple juice, vitamin C.
  • Fruit Origin: India

• Pure red grapefruit juice (300 mL)
  • This sweet, tangy juice will give you a full day worth of vitamin C. There is no sugar or preservatives added.
  • Ingredients: water, concentrated grapefruit juice.
  • Fruit Origin: Southern United States

• Pure cranberry juice (300 mL & 1L)
  • The cranberry is a powerhouse in the fruit world. Extremely low in sugar and rich in antioxidants, this very healthy berry is known to provide relief from and prevent urinary tract infections, is a strong anti-bacterial and can improve digestive health.
  • Ingredients: pure pressed cranberry juice.
  • Local Fruit Origin: Muskoka, Ontario

• Pure tart cherry juice (300 mL & 1L)
  • Top-selling pure juice, tart cherries are known for their health properties.
  • Low in sugar, high in melatonin, and a natural anti-inflammatory, it is a favourite of athletes, insomniacs and gout sufferers alike.
  • Ingredients: pure pressed tart cherry juice, water, concentrated tart cherry juice.
  • Local Fruit Origin: Niagara, Ontario